


masked her aid

by LadyLaviniya



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Costume Parties & Masquerades, F/F, First Meetings, Gay, Love, Masquerade Ball, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Tags Are Hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-13
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-07-11 23:39:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15982937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyLaviniya/pseuds/LadyLaviniya
Summary: mother always knew how to throw an elaborate party.meeting at a masquerade ball au





	masked her aid

**Author's Note:**

  * For [catelyntullys](https://archiveofourown.org/users/catelyntullys/gifts).



mother always knew how to throw an elaborate party.

the company, the music, the wine.

the beautiful women.

she makes her way about the large ballroom as if in a ghostly trance—glass in her right hand, metal venetian mask upon her face, lips painted red and parted slightly. she keeps close to the walls, feeling her way along as though blind, willing her magic to parse through the myriad of nobles who dared show up this night.

with a little effort and a little luck, she can pick an adequate lady to court for the evening before mother has a chance to pair her up with someone else. someone incompatible.

her first round in unsuccessful, but it’s no matter. the night is still young. the most important guests are never early, after all. grand appearances and such.

she swaps her glass for another, a fresh cup to replenish her energy, and cruises again. this time, she is met with polite greetings when they notice her coming around. conversations are brief. she continues on.

the steward announces more names as they appear. as daughter of the hostess, she has to stop to appraise them, and that’s when she sees her. the person. the one whose society she will fight to keep for the evening, the one whose company she’s been searching for all night.

the princess of hearts.

she takes a deep breath and sets down her drink, making her way to the top as the newest guests ascend the staircase to greet them properly. they are in matching gowns with matching full face masks, but the princess’s is noticeably smaller. oh, how beautiful she must be beneath it! how gentle and soft and kind. one only has to look at the way she carries herself to see she is nothing like the woman who raised her.

mother is already there; queen and princess bow their heads to her, and the princess curtsies. the queen presents mother a spool of golden thread, pure. a little gift, she calls it, to show her appreciation for the wondrous privilege of her company.

after all, only the best and most worthy are allowed in the walls of a dragon’s lair.

mother’s eyes glow at the sheen of the thread, but she accepts it with gracious thanks.

“mallory, you remember cora. this is her daughter, regina.”

the princess curtsies again, this time to her. mallory smiles.

“pleasure,” she says with a respectable nod.

she leads regina away by the hand before anyone has a chance to protest, weaving through an endless sea of fancy dresses and blended conversations until she almost loses her sense of direction. regina does not protest at all, doesn’t speak until they are out of the ballroom and into the cool, dark hallway leading elsewhere about the castle.

“why couldn’t we just go straight to the doors?” she complains, reclaiming her hand to plant it on her hip, “have you any idea how dizzy that was for me in this mask?”

“then take it off. no one’s watching.” mallory folds her arms. “i had to make sure my mother didn’t notice us leaving. i don’t suppose you wanted yours to see you either.”

regina shakes her head and sighs. carefully, she removes her mask with both hands, her eyes flickering to mallory’s as she lowers her hands and gaze to the ground. her cheeks are flushed, and her smile nervous and shy, but mallory loves what she sees instantly.

she was right—beautiful, gentle, soft, even kind.

“what say we go elsewhere for the evening? before i have to return you at dawn?” she stifles a laugh at regina’s wide eyes as she looks up. “you  _do_  know that’s how long we have, don’t you?”

regina swallows. “the rules are different here, it seems. but i’d like that.” she smiles. “i would like very much to spend this night in your company... mal.”

mal. already she’s decided to be so intimate. mallory’s smile broadens, and she holds out her arm to her. regina takes it, and lets her lead again. but as they come to a turn in the corridor, regina stops.

“what’s the matter?”

“would you mind if i changed my clothes before we go gallivanting? mother doesn’t like me ruining my dresses.”

mallory blinks. why hadn’t she thought of that? “of course; by all means!”

regina releases her arm and flicks her wrist. when the taut whirl of smoke clears, mallory lifts her idle hand to her mouth in surprise. she didn’t think it possible for regina to be any more handsome, but here she stands as such.

gone is the dress, the full face mask, the bun in her hair, her prim demeanor. instead, the mask she now dons covers only her eyes, her hair is long, flowing freely down her back, and her smile is mischievous and playful. she has a sword by her hip, and a black hat with a wide brim which she tips to her. regina flashes her eyes, which now glint with excitement, as she kneels on one knee and kisses the back of mallory’s hand as she reclaims it in hers.

“tonight i am zorro,” she says, “and i am greatly looking forward to spending these next hours with you... maleficent.”


End file.
